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Dan's Knee
The Incident Little is known of the specific circumstances surrounding Dan's traumatic knee injury, and the details we do have are rather sketchy: Dan suffered through the life-altering episode during a Vermont ski trip. Was it an accident, or something more sinister? Had Dan deliberately sacrificed himself in order to protect an innocent child by maneuvering his own body between the child and some physical danger? Without solid facts, speculation naturally runs wild. What we do know is that the injury was severe enough to necessitate surgical intervention. In what is nothing less than a modern medical miracle, he received a transplant consisting of a ligament harvested posthumously from an anonymous donor. Mere decades ago, such treatment was simply impossible. Convalescence A great many knee injury victims, facing a future of relentless physical pain and merciless social stigma, choose to live out the remainder of their wretched days hidden in the shadows. But not Dan. Unwilling to suffer the fate of so many in his dire situation, Dan marshalled the vast force of will necessary to keep his excruciating physical therapy appointments, maintain his grueling home exercise regime, and endure the debilitating side effects of his various prescription medications. Even if one somehow manages to make it out the other side, it is a well-established fact in the medical literature that a knee injury of the type inflicted upon Dan requires an entire year to fully recover. Despite this fact, Dan determinedly returned to work and kept his scheduled appearances. In doing so he not only made public his individual struggle, but also gave voice to the teeming millions who suffer through life bearing the scars of their own brutal destinies. Approximately 100,000 Americans each year undergo total knee reconstruction. Thanks to Dan and his efforts to spark a national conversation, there is a face for this silent healthcare crisis. Finally these victims have a champion. Knee Injuries in Cinema Dan's story, coupled with his prominence in the entertainment industry, opened a lot of eyes to Hollywood's irresponsible handling of America's knee injury epidemic. On the big screen, they are often portrayed in a callous -- sometimes even comical -- fashion, totally contrary to the grim reality faced by actual victims. If you are one of those people for whom depictions of knee violence is an emotional trigger, you may wish to avoid these films (spoiler alert): *''Child's Play'' (1988) Chucky is shot in the left knee, but since he is a magical doll this does not impede him. *''The Departed'' (2006) *''Mad Max'' (1979) Max is shot in the left knee. *''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991) An entire squad of SWAT team members is shot in the knee. *''The Thin Red Line'' (1998) *''Welcome to the Punch'' (2013) In the opening scene, the main character is shot in the knee. *"Knee Injury" Movies (IMDb) *"Knee Wound" Movies (IMDb) Other Sufferers of Notable Knee Injuries *Evel Knievel *Nancy Kerrigan *Ken Reeves (fictional character), the basketball coach on The White Shadow (1978-81) *Joe Theismann